Political Science

This course examines the changing public sphere over time, from its early-modern emergence to the challenges of tabloid news and online fragmentation in contemporary media culture.

This course examines the role of media in cases of modern conflict, genocide, and peace processes. It covers media structure, content, framing and psychological responses during times of conflict and peace-making, and how media informs audiences and either foments or quells conflict.

This course examines some of the leading theories of justice in contemporary political thought and their implications for designing political institutions and public policies. Questions include: What is a fair distribution of society’s resources? Should parents be entitled to pass on their wealth to their children? Should offensive speech be regulated? Should our public policies treat every citizen the same or allow for gender and cultural differences? Can historical injustices be rectified? What does environmental justice look like? Are animals entitled to justice? In pursuing these questions, students explore topics such as rights, distributive justice, gender equality and multiculturalism, historical injustice and reconciliation, and pluralism and the clash of values. 

This course explores the concept of democratic representation in multi-level systems, examining both theoretical foundations and practical case studies. It begins with an overview of key theories on democratic representation, exploring both the demand for representation by the public and the supply of representation by elected officials and institutions. In the latter half, case studies from various multi-level political systems illustrate how these theories apply in practice and how representation is shaped by institutional design.

This course analyzes multiculturalism through a philosophical-political and historical lens. It explores contemporary political claims and struggles, focusing on the concepts of tolerance and diversity, their political implications and their translation in the juridical realm. The course examines the different connotations of multiculturalism, explores the critique on its potential Eurocentrism, and discusses its potential challenges and benefits on societal cohesion and citizenship. Learning outcomes include understanding the key political concepts and theories of multiculturalism; exploring the relationship between collective and individual rights within human rights language and debates; and critically engaging with the concepts of tolerance, diversity, and integration.

This course examines the complex interplay between politics and the media. This interplay shapes public discourse and political outcomes as political actors strategically leverage media platforms to influence public opinion, while the media frames and reports on political events. Students will focus on examining theories of political communication, the media’s influential role in agenda-setting, and the critical examination of phenomena such as misinformation, fake news, censorship, propaganda, the rise of celebrity politicians, political advertising, satire, citizen journalism, and permanent campaigning. 

Since Tocqueville's pioneering research in the 1830s, comparisons between France and the United States have proliferated, often accompanied by certain myths and oversimplifications. This course builds on these comparative studies by offering an in-depth examination of the national institutions and political systems of the two countries. Through the lens of political sociology, this course delves into the roles, characteristics, and expertise of political professionals who live “for” and “off” politics: elected officials, top civil servants, political staffers, etc. By integrating interdisciplinary perspectives and employing diverse methodological approaches, the course takes a close look at the diversity of political work, focusing on the key similarities and differences between the two nations.

This course examines the study of international relations in an era of globalization. It covers the historical background, key concepts and theories, case studies, and contemporary developments in the study of world politics.

This course offers an in-depth exploration of the sociology of radical left parties, analyzing their historical trajectory, the evolution of their organizational strategies, and their impact on the contemporary political landscape. It examines how these often marginalized parties have managed to gain power in various socio-historical contexts, as well as the dynamics that led them to occupy dominant political positions, only to often return to more marginal roles. Throughout the different sessions, the course addresses the social, organizational, and ideological foundations of the radical left, studying their relationships with protest movements as well as with extreme and moderate left, centrist, and right-wing political parties. The course also covers the contemporary challenges faced by the radical left, including the environmental crisis and the management of national economies that are deeply integrated into international financial markets. By examining concrete examples of parties that gained power in the early 21st century in Europe and Latin America, the course considers the reasons for their rise, and, in many cases, their return to the margins of power.